Dr. Helen

Commentary on popular culture and society, from a (mostly) psychological perspective

Friday, July 31, 2009

PJTV: Do men really want to get married?

Author and Award-winning CNN producer Alex Wellen says "yes" --men want to get married. He joins me today to talk about his new book, Lovesick: A Novel, about the rocky road to marriage for one man. Though men have been portrayed in the media as resenting or fleeing from marriage, Wellen finds out differently when he interviews men to get an idea of what they want from marriage. Recently married men tell him how they feel about being married--why did they decide to go through with it? On this blog, many men feel that marriage is not the right step for them. I would welcome your thoughts about what Wellen says.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Organic food found to be no healthier

I saw this article about organic food being no healthier than ordinary food. It doesn't surprise me. It often felt to me like the whole "eating organic" thing is more about feeling in control, or perhaps superior to others than it is about health. What do you think?

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

"But if you are drawn to people who are toxic for you, then you may be better off staying single."

This is good advice offered by Christine Northan, a counsellor interviewed in a BBC News (via hotair) article on the scars of divorce.

There are many men who are drawn to toxic women who continue to stay and be emotionally abused by them --and who suffer from health problems as a result. While there are slew of books out there and other resources for women to learn how to cope with the problem of toxic men, there are fewer resources for men in dealing with toxic women.

In fact, when I searched Amazon with the key words women who hate men, I came up with only books about...men who hate women.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

'Chairman Max Baucus told reporters he had heard some "interesting," "creative," and "kind of fun" ideas.'

I saw this article on Drudge this morning that one of these "creative ideas" is to tax plastic surgery. Thinking of all the ways to give away other people's money is "fun and creative" to Baucus? It reminds me of a study I read that showed how there are some people who enjoy giving away other people's money for the "fun" of doing it. It strikes me that the people in the current administration are no different.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Why men shouldn't volunteer with children

Amy Alkon: "You're a guy and you want to "give back"? Keep away from the kiddies or you could lose everything you have." Amy says this because of a post by Wendy McElroy:

I haven't been able to get Anthony J. Tripoli out of my mind. He is the 69-year-old man I wrote about in a July 19th blog post. He was a volunteer who tutored children one-on-one in reading skills at a public school in Florida. Based on the testimony of an 8-year-old girl and without any supporting evidence whatever, he was given a life sentence for allegedly touching her in an inappropriate -- that is, a sexual -- manner. In reading the news story, I thought the man was probably innocent and a victim of the public/legal hysteria that surrounds the issues of children and sex.

I must say it makes me both sad and angry that this is the case. Having worked with numerous kids and teens over the course of my career, many could have used some male influence. But this is the sad new reality.

I knew they went over the edge when they began talking about Sex Addiction. Who gets to define that? These are the sorts of thing that makes people think shrinks are nuts, and damage their reputations as serious Docs. You cannot pathologize every human idiosyncrasy, desire, hobby, or preoccupation, because these are the things that make people interesting, unique, and colorful.

....The fifth edition of the association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is expected in 2012. The APA isn't just deciding the fate of shopaholics; it's also debating whether overuse of the Internet, "excessive" sexual activity, apathy, and even prolonged bitterness should be viewed, quite seriously, as brain "disorders." If you spend hours online, have sex more frequently than aging psychiatrists, and moan incessantly that the federal government can't account for all its TARP funds, take heed: You may soon be classed among the 48 million Americans the APA already considers mentally ill.